ALMR FUEL-CYCLE ECONOMICS

The U.S. Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor concept, ALMR, is expected to use recycled metal fuel composed of plutonium, uranium and zirconium. Projections of fuel cycle costs for the ALMR indicate that they will be from 5 to 6 mills/kWh (constant 1987 dollars), which is less than or equal to current light water reactor fuel costs. Since the ALMR fuel costs are not sensitive to uranium ore prices, these costs will be more stable than those of future light water reactors. The ALMR also has the potential to fission actinides from both light water and liquid metal reactor fuels. This ability can reduce the time that high-level radioactive waste are hazardous from millions to hundreds of years with about a 1 mill/kWh increase in cost.